I think it's because of starting out #1 and not losing to anyone. For some reason, that #1 spot is so sacred to voters that no one can jump unless the top team loses. That shouldn't be the case in the beginning, but it'll shake itself out in the next couple days. If Duke and IU both win, it will be a really tough choice, but I kind of doubt both will win. If they do, I put Duke first, but if IU blows NC out of the water then maybe not.

Indiana did beat Georgetown, which is about on the same level as our wins vs Pitt and K State, ie solid top half of their league but not elite teams. That said, they let a bad Georgia team hang around far longer than a truly elite team should, and agree that Duke has by far the best two wins of any team so far.

11. So far, Michigan is not overrated
The Wolverines had a bit of trouble with Pittsburgh, but a huge win over Kansas State seems to indicate that the Beilein machine may be worthy of its no. 4 ranking. The great news for Michigan fans is that Tim Hardaway Jr. seems to have his stroke back, and the forwards have been strong enough that they haven't needed huge contributions from freshman Mitch McGary yet. I'm anxious to see how they look Tuesday against NC State. Unfortunately ...

12. NC State is not a title team
I was willing to forgive the total lack of defense against Oklahoma State, thinking NC State might have been exhausted, but the 82-80 win over UNC-Asheville convinced me that this team could go an entire year without buckling down. The idea of the Wolfpack winning six straight games with their run-and-gun style has lost its credibility.

It's about time that we pass Ohio in the polls. They have looked average at best against below average teams. We have clobbered the teams that we were supposed to and now we have two good wins against solid programs.

but are we really the third best team in the country? I may be a cantankerous mid 20s alum who has been beaten down by a decade of crap to mediocre basketball... but even trying to put that aside I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. Do you guys really believe that ranking? I want to believe. MAKE ME BELIEVE MGOBLOG.

I think you just need to look at the evidence + eye ball test. Top 6 Kenpom, Top 5 Sagarin... We have clobbered who we are supposed to clobber, beat who we are supposed to beat...if that by itself does not satisfy you then, likely, nothing I say will. I understand the skepticism, but as of now, the team hasn't really provided any tangible evidence to suggest that we are not a bonafide top 5 team. We have shooting, playmaking, size, good coaching, and depth.

The Kenpom factor is really what's helping me wrap my mind around the idea that we might actually be good here. Last season's over-achievement is by far the best UM b-ball I have any real memory of, so it's tough to believe. However, if the tempo-free stats are showing it, it becomes tough to deny, esp when you consider that we've beaten Kenpom #12 (Pitt) and #21 (KSU) teams.

College basketball is just different than what it used to be back in the 90s and even early 2000s. The 1 and done rule has really had a significant affect on the game. The best teams are now made up of elite Freshman and Sophomores with maybe 2-3 contributing upperclassmen.

UM has that very mix right now with elite Freshman GR3, McGary and Stauskas. All American sophomore Burke and talented upperclassmen THJ, Morgan and Horford.

Since there are only 5 guys on the court at one time it's much easier to turn a program around in Bball than it is in Football. That's kind of a depressing fact given the state of UM Bball for the late 90s and 2000s but it's true.

I know we have great players coming in next year and I'm excited about the future of UM Bball but the time to strike is right NOW! We have a legit shot at a championship and we need to take advantage while Trey, Timmy and GR3 are still in Ann Arbor.

Although the data below is actually from AP Polls taken around this time since the 1989-90 season (the dates of the poles do vary), it tells a fairly interesting story, I think. You're actually correct, it seems - as you'll note below, on 11/30/1992, we were #1, so for AP polls taken around this point, at least since then, this is the highest we've been.